Marshall Mullen: Ain't she grand?

Posted: Monday, July 19, 2004

By MARK HARRISONPeninsula Clarion

Marge Mullen, grand marshal of the 44th annual Soldotna Progress Days, plans to lead Saturday's parade on foot. Although she could ride at the head of the procession in a car, the 84-year-old homesteader would rather walk.

"I am going to walk. I keep my health by walking three miles a day," Mullen said. "I don't like riding in big fancy Fords or Chevrolets or anything."

Mullen moved to Alaska in 1945, when she was 25 and the state was still a territory. Two years later she staked a claim in Soldotna. Ever since, she's been involved in the community.

One of Mullen's most visible contributions has been to city beautification. She was one of the people responsible for getting flower pots put on the corners of various streets in Soldotna. Volunteers who live near the pots plant them every year with flowers or seed provided by the city and maintain them through the summer.

"For the next three months, (the volunteers) are watering and weeding," Mullen said.

Mullen helped initiate the beautification project about 20 years ago. More recently, she's been interested in preserving old photographs. Mullen has been gathering photos taken by early settlers in the Kenai-Soldotna area and has worked with anthropology professor Alan Boraas to set up on a photo archive at Kenai Peninsula College.

"Although the history is short, I feel it'll be meaningful in the next hundred years," Mullen said.

"She's a great Soldotna pioneer," said Soldotna Chamber of Commerce director Michelle Glaves of Mullen. "She doesn't like a lot of attention drawn to herself, but she's done a lot of good for Soldotna."

Marshal Mullen: Ain't she grand?

Photo by M. Scott Moon Marge Mullen is the parade marshal for this year's Pro-gress Days festival.

By MARK HARRISON

Peninsula Clarion

Marge Mullen, grand marshal of the 44th annual Soldotna Progress Days, plans to lead Saturday's parade on foot. Although she could ride at the head of the procession in a car, the 84-year-old homesteader would rather walk.

"I am going to walk. I keep my health by walking three miles a day," Mullen said. "I don't like riding in big fancy Fords or Chevrolets or anything."

Mullen moved to Alaska in 1945, when she was 25 and the state was still a territory. Two years later she staked a claim in Soldotna. Ever since, she's been involved in the community.

One of Mullen's most visible contributions has been to city beautification. She was one of the people responsible for getting flower pots put on the corners of various streets in Soldotna. Volunteers who live near the pots plant them every year with flowers or seed provided by the city and maintain them through the summer.

"For the next three months, (the volunteers) are watering and weeding," Mullen said.

Mullen helped initiate the beautification project about 20 years ago. More recently, she's been interested in preserving old photographs. Mullen has been gathering photos taken by early settlers in the Kenai-Soldotna area and has worked with anthropology professor Alan Boraas to set up on a photo archive at Kenai Peninsula College.

"Although the history is short, I feel it'll be meaningful in the next hundred years," Mullen said.

"She's a great Soldotna pioneer," said Soldotna Chamber of Commerce director Michelle Glaves of Mullen. "She doesn't like a lot of attention drawn to herself, but she's done a lot of good for Soldotna."